Truss pad



Oct. l, 1940. W A PEASE 2,216,625

TBUS S PAD Filed Jan. 18, 1939 Patented Oct. 1, 1940 rmuss PAD William A. Pease, Cincinnati, Ohio, assigner to The hio Truss Company, a corporation of Ohio Application January 1s, 1939, serial No. 251,572

2 Claims.

The present kinvention relates to truss pads of the type used in cases of hernia or for similar purposes.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable truss pad of the type mentioned in which the means for adjustment of the pad with relation to the truss arm are simplied in construction and the cost of manufacture of the respective parts greatly reduced.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a face View of a pad and connections constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a section of the pad on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section thereof on line 3-3 Aof Figure 1.

The numeral I indicates a truss pad of the type used for the treatment and relief of hernia and similar disorders, and the numeral 2 the arm by means of which the pad is secured to the truss belt which may be of any desired construction. The invention resides in providing a readily adjustable relation between the pad I and arm 2. The pad I consists of a cover of elastic rubber 3, the face of which may be reticulated as shown at 4, or otherwise provided with means to provide against slippage. pressible rubber filler or pad 5, the central rear portion of which is provided with a recess 6. Inside the cover 3 is a base plate l, which has a central opening 8 over the recess 6 of the pad. The plate l, around the `opening 8, is bent outwardly or away from the pad so as to provide an annular shoulder or flange 9. Adapted to be secured to the plate 'I by means of screws IU--Ill is a plate II, similar in shape to the plate l, the rear edges of the cover 3 being clamped between the plates 'l and II as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing. The plate II has a central opening I2, and the portion of the plate around said opening is bent so as to bulge away from the rear of the pad, the bulge being in parallelism with the curvature of plate l, surrounding the opening 8. The curvature of plate II provides an annular flange I3, surrounding the opening I2. The inner surface of the flange I3, around the opening I2, is provided with a series of notches I4 for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

'I'he numeral I5 indicates a disc adapted to fit between the plates I and Il, and to ride on the outer surface of flange 9 and the inner surface of flange I3 of the respective plates. The disc I5 Inside the cover 3 is a com- (Cl. 12S-124) is provided with a pair of projections or teeth I6, which are adapted to engage the notches I4 of the platev I I. The disc I5 is provided with a pair of threaded perforations adapted to receive a pair of set screws II-I'L The distance between the perforations for said screws is less than the diameter of the opening I2 of the plate I I, so that the screws may engage into the disc without contactin'g with plate II. In assembling the pad with the arm 2, the set screws I'l pass through a slot I8 of the arm 2 and engage in the threaded perforations of disc I5. tive position of the pad with respect to the arm 2 and consequently, as will be obvious, the position of said pad with respect to the truss as a whole, the screws Il are loosened which permits plates 'I and II of the pad to rotate with respect to the disc I5; in such movements, the teeth IB ride the notches I4 of the flange I3. When proper adjustment has been attained, the set screws I'I are tightened, which brings the teeth I6 into frictional contact with the inner surface of ange I3. In such position, the teeth I6 engage in notches I4 and maintain the adjustment. The opening 8 in plate 'I permits such rotation about the axis of disc I5 notwithstanding the possible extension of the lower end or ends of screws I1 below the lower surface of the disc as shown, for instance in Figure 2. The opening 8 thus prevents the length of said screws from being a critical factcr in the construction and assembly of the parts. In other Words the opening 8 provides clearance for the lower ends of the screws I'I should they extend below the disc, just as the opening l2 provides clearance for ythe upper parts of the screws, during the rotation of the pad about the axis of the disc for purposes of adjustment,

It will be obvious that any desired tension may be maintained between the disc I5 and the inner surface of the ange I3, so that adjustment may be made without actually manipulating set screws I'I-I'l, if desired, the teeth of the disc I5 riding the teeth of flange I3. Of course if the set screws I'l-II are screwed tight no adjustment can be made without iirst loosening them.

Having thus fully described my invention, vwhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a truss pad, an elastic cover for said pad, a base plate, an outwardly projecting flange centrally located on said plate, a second plate adapted to be secured to said base plate, said second plate In adjusting the relahaving an opening over the ange in said base v plate, and being provided with an outwardly projecting iange above the flange of said base plate,

a disc mounted between said plates and adapted to engage the under side of the ange on said second plate, notches on the under side of the flange on said second plate, teeth on said disc adapted to engage said notches, a truss arm, and means whereby said disc may be secured to said truss arm and said teeth brought into engagement with said notches, and means for securing said plates together so as to clamp between them the edge of said cover.

2. In a truss pad, a base plate, said plate being provided with an opening, an outwardly projecting flange surrounding said opening, a second plate adapted toI be secured to said base plate, said second plate having an opening adapted to register with the opening in said base plate, and being provided with an outwardly projecting ange above the flange of said base plate, a disc mounted between said plates and adapted to engage the under side of the flange on said second plate, notches on the under side of the iiange on said second plate, teeth on said disc adapted to engage said notches, a truss arm, threaded perforatio-ns in said disc, and a pair of screws adapted to screw through said perforations, whereby said pad may be secured to said truss arm and said teeth brought into engagement with said notches, the openings in said plates being adapted to provide clearance for said screws to permit rotary adjustment of said pad around the axis of said disc.

' WILLIAM A. PEASE, 

